Sweepstakes-Winning Sculptor Shares Energy-Saving Tips

From the imagination of Buffy Holton comes a fanciful menagerie – a flying lion, a baby chupacabra and a box turtle shell the size of a kids’ wading pool.

The Middle Tennessee sculptor brings these creatures to life with her skillful hands.

Plus a whole lot of power tools.

A tumbler to polish rocks. A wet saw and grinder to cut and smooth tiles. A drill press and scroll saw to craft intricate wooden mechanisms. And a MIG welder to assemble metal skeletons for larger sculptures.

Given that her artwork depends on electricity, Holton is always on the lookout for ways to keep energy bills low at her home and adjacent art studio in Lewis County.

Lately, the retired educator has been taking advantage of cash rebates and other efficiency programs offered by TVA EnergyRight.

And she’s been feeling downright lucky.

Earlier this year, after she completed an online energy efficiency assessment, she wound up winning a sweepstakes grand prize – a free smart thermostat, ceiling fan and air purifier.

“That was really cool,” Holton said. “I got an email and it said, ‘Congratulations, you won.’

“I was just amazed. I never win anything. The last thing I won was a plant society door prize – and I won the pair of gloves that I had donated. That’s the kind of luck I usually have.”

Sculptor Buffy Holton’s energy efficient art studio gives her space to work on large projects like this giant turtle shell. 

Your Chance to Enter

As the dog days of summer keep the mercury well into the 90s around the Valley region, you too can try your luck.

TVA EnergyRight’s new Summer Nights Sweepstakes runs through Aug. 4.

Two grand prize winners will receive an outdoor movie theater prize pack, including a portable movie projector, 100-inch screen, smart string lights, wireless meat thermometer and more.

Every week, five people will win a smart thermostat, which can be programmed to conserve energy when the homeowner is away. It can even be adjusted remotely with a smartphone app.

“The idea is to encourage residents across our region to use their energy-intensive appliances less during the hot summer days and find ways to enjoy themselves outside the home while being energy efficient,” said Carrie Fogleman, director of energy services and demand at EnergyRight.

There are two ways to enter the sweepstakes – and both will help you figure out how to slim down energy costs.

• Complete the free online DIY Home Energy Assessment. You’ll receive a box of energy-saving gadgets and a $10 home improvement gift card.
• Book an in-person Home Energy Evaluation. A certified home energy adviser will visit your home to provide expert guidance on opportunities for conserving energy.

“This sweepstakes is all about helping people save energy and money, and rewarding them for doing their part,” Fogleman said.

Sweepstakes entrants receive a kit of energy-saving gadgets, like foam gaskets to insulate outlets and light switches.

‘A Good Snapshot’

Whether you’re brand new to energy efficiency or a seasoned veteran like Holton, these tools will give you insights into good next steps.

For newcomers, the best place to start is the DIY assessment, said Brad Wagner, EnergyRight manager of program operations.

“It really gives you a good snapshot of where your home stands,” Wagner said. “You don't have to know every little detail of your home. This is something a novice can do.”

The self-guided online assessment takes about 15 minutes to complete.

For homeowners who prefer in-person assistance, the Home Energy Evaluation can help pinpoint exactly what’s going on with your home’s energy use. It’s free across most of the Valley region, but a small fee may apply in a few locations.

The in-person evaluation is recommended for people who have already taken the DIY assessment within the past two years.

Education is the bottom line, Wagner said.

Both the DIY assessment and the in-person evaluation will help you make no-cost and low-cost improvements. They’ll also inform you which investments will give you the biggest bang for your buck.

EnergyRight offers cash rebates of up to $1,500 for energy efficiency upgrades through its network of certified contractors. Even an HVAC tuneup can qualify for a $50 rebate.

Marking the date on her HVAC filters helps Holton remember to change them regularly.

Efficient by Design

Holton designed her own studio – a place to create her mosaics, concrete sculptures and automatons, whimsical crank-operated scenes such as cats ice fishing and a Smurf-colored creature piloting a UFO.

She wanted enough space for larger public projects, like the huge turtle shell onto which she’s affixing nearly 10,000 pieces of tile as part of the Master Artist Apprentice Program through nonprofits Tennessee Craft and the Tennessee Arts Commission.

Holton opted for a 600-square-foot building dug into a hillside.

“I was determined that it was not going to cost me an arm and a leg to heat and cool,” she said.

When she cleared the land, she cut down as few trees as possible. “If you have trees, you have shade. The shade is extremely helpful in the summer.”

She also invested in spray-foam insulation and a high-efficiency HVAC unit. “It’s marvelous – I hardly have to turn it on, summer or winter.”

On all but the hottest days, a dehumidifier keeps things comfortable even without air conditioning.

“Being energy efficient can save you a lot of money,” Holton said. “Even just doing little things like caulking your windows, making sure you’ve got weatherstripping on your door, changing your filters on your HVAC – all of that can save you money.

“My best advice to homeowners is to do as much as they can afford to make their homes more efficient,” she said.

Even small changes on a tight budget can help.

"Turn off lights and fans when you leave a room," she said. "Install LED light bulbs, get a programmable thermostat and set it at efficient temperatures, use motion detectors or timers on outdoor lights, use water wisely and do things like baking and laundry in the evenings when it's not so hot outside.”

As TVA takes its own steps to meet summertime high demand for electricity, actions by homeowners make a big difference.

“Simple changes add up,” Fogleman said. “As our region is experiencing a hot summer, we can all join together to conserve energy when we need it the most.

“With the help of the local communities, businesses and households we serve, TVA can improve grid reliability when energy demand is high while helping the Valley region become a cleaner, better place for future generations.”

Photo Gallery

Wayley the cat supervises as Holton installs an energy- and water-saving sink aerator.

Holton’s sculptures Wool King and Capyaxe keep company with the air purifier she won.

Power tools are essential to creating the delicate mechanisms for moving artworks like this flying lion.

Holton’s imaginative designs include Chupy, left, a baby chupacabra, and his little bird friend.

Holton designed her studio to maximize available shade for summertime energy efficiency. 

Holton’s artworks include sculptures and mosaics, as well as moving automatons. 

TOP OF PAGE: Holton uses programmable thermostats to keep energy bills low in her art studio and home.